Mark Begich on War & Peace

Democratic Jr Senator

I was too gung-ho supportive of Afghanistan war

When asked about a decision he wished he had back again, Begich said he had second thoughts about his "gung ho" support, earlier in his tenure, for additional resources and personnel in Afghanistan.
He said he's not sure that was the right course given the loss of lives and financial costs. He said that has caused him to look at conflicts in a different way.

He said that's why he opposed arming Syrian rebels in the current fight against Islamic State militants. He said he's not sure who the rebels are and if they'll next turn into an enemy of the United States.

Begich said a more comprehensive strategy is needed to fight the Islamic State extremists, which Sullivan agrees with.

Air strikes against ISIS but no US forces on the ground

Sen. Mark Begich said he opposed arming Syrian rebels in the current fight against Islamic State militants. He said he's not sure who the rebels are and if they'll next turn into an enemy of the United States.
Begich said a more comprehensive strategy is needed to fight the Islamic State extremists, which Sullivan agrees with.

The two went back and forth on what constitutes combat troops. Sullivan said troops conducting air strikes are combat troops.
Begich said he supports air strikes but not U.S. forces on the ground in an offensive way. Begich said Arab nations need to step up.

Sullivan said there's a misperception that those in the military want to be on the ground in conflicts. "What
I want do is defend my country," he said. Begich has been for taking options off the table, he said. "Inaction has its own consequences, as well," Sullivan said to applause.

We must responsibly re-deploy out of Iraq

Mark believes we must responsibly redeploy out of Iraq to strengthen national security. Mark favors the gradual withdrawal of American forces from Iraq’s civil war, coupled with increased American diplomacy and forcing the Iraqi government to take
responsibility for its future. He strongly supports American troops who are fighting in harm’s way. But he believes national leaders have let our soldiers and citizens down with no plan, inadequate equipment and a lost focus. Mark believes we need to
relentlessly pursue the terrorists who attacked the US and have rebuilt their global network based in the mountains of Afghanistan and Pakistan while the US has been distracted by Iraq. He will ensure that our military is not stretched too thin to meet
other national security needs, as top military officers like the Army Chief of Staff say it now is. He believes the US is unprepared to meets the future demands of veterans, and will fight to provide quality care and benefits to its veterans.

Iranian nuclear weapons: prevention instead of containment.

Expressing the sense of Congress regarding the nuclear program of the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Whereas, since at least the late 1980s, Iran has engaged in a sustained pattern of illicit and deceptive activities to acquire nuclear capability;

Whereas the UN Security Council has adopted multiple resolutions since 2006 demanding the full suspension of all uranium enrichment-related activities by Iran, particularly possible military dimensions;

Sponsored shutting down Iranian foreign reserves.

Congressional Summary:Prohibits US-based correspondent accounts or a payable-through accounts by a foreign financial institution that knowingly:

conducted or facilitated a significant transaction on behalf of the Central Bank of Iran, or another Iranian financial institution, or a person involved in the energy, shipping, and shipbuilding sectors of Iran

Authorizes sanctions pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act.

Arguments for and against bill: (New York Times, May 8, 2013): Seeking to escalate pressure on Iran, a bipartisan group of senators introduced legislation that would deny the Iranian government access to its foreign exchange reserves, estimated to be worth as much as $100 billion. The legislation would be the first major new sanction confronting Iran since its inconclusive round of negotiations last month on its disputed nuclear program.

Sponsors of the legislation contend that Iran is not bargaining in good
faith while it continues to enrich uranium. Part of the reason, they say, is that Iran has been able to work around the worst effects of the sanctions by tapping its foreign currency reserves overseas, which are largely beyond the reach of current restrictions. "Closing the foreign currency loophole in our sanctions policy is critical in our efforts to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapons capability," the sponsors said.

Critics said the new legislation risked further alienating Iranians who suspect that the sanctions' true purpose is not to pressure Iran in the nuclear negotiations, but to cause an economic implosion that would lead to regime change. "When we've cemented a sanctions escalation path, we're creating a trajectory toward actual confrontation," said the founder of the National Iranian American Council, a Washington group that opposes sanctions. Some Iranian leaders, he said, see the sanctions "as a train that can only go in one direction and has no brakes."

Sanctions on Iran to end nuclear program.

Begich signed Iran Refined Petroleum Sanctions Act

Expresses the sense of Congress that:

diplomatic efforts to address Iran's illicit nuclear efforts, unconventional and ballistic missile development programs, and support for international terrorism are more likely to be effective if the President is empowered with explicit authority to impose additional sanctions on the government of Iran;

US concerns regarding Iran are strictly the result of that government's actions; and

the people of the United States have feelings of friendship for the people of Iran and regret that developments in recent decades have created impediments to that friendship.

States that it should be US policy to:

support international diplomatic efforts to end Iran's uranium enrichment program and its nuclear weapons program;

encourage foreign governments to direct state-owned and private entities to cease all investment in, and support of, Iran's energy sector and all exports of refined petroleum products to Iran;

impose sanctions
on the Central Bank of Iran and any other Iranian financial institution engaged in proliferation activities or support of terrorist groups; and

work with allies to protect the international financial system from deceptive and illicit practices by Iranian financial institutions involved in proliferation activities or support of terrorist groups.

Amends the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996 to direct the President to impose sanctions if a person has made an investment of $20 million or more (or any combination of investments of at least $5 million which in the aggregate equals or exceeds $20 million in any 12-month period) that directly and significantly contributed to Iran's ability to develop its petroleum resources. (Under current law the sanction thresholds are $40 million, $10 million, and $40 million, respectively.)